Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

W. T. McNEILL. WIRE STRETGHER.

No. 596,377. Patented Dec, 28,1897.

WITNESSES: T? q j INVENTOR A TTORNE VS.

UNrrnn STATES PATE T Unites,

l/VILLIAM T. MCNEILL, OF STONEBURG, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,377, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed June 25, 1897. Serial No. 642,261. (No model.)

wire-fence-making implements; and the object of the invention is to provide a wirestretcher capable of having bearing against the post and of such manipulation that the 1 Wire may be expeditiously and conveniently placed under any desired tension, and whereby, further, the wire may be held under tension as long as desired, and also whereby-the device may be utilized for drawing the ends of a broken wire together or the ends of opposing wires together in such manner that they may be brought under tension and connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire-stretcher which may be attached to the wires direct or have bearing against the post, as stated, but wherein when the device is placed in engagement with the post it need not be secured thereto.

The invention consists in the novel con-- struction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device, illustrating the wire as connected therewith and just about to be stretched. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, illustrating the wire as having been placed under tension and as being held under tension, the device having been carried forward to place the device under further tension. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device, illustrating its application to wires for the purpose of connecting the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through alever, illustrating the manner in which the arm carrying the grip device is adj u'stably connected with said lever; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the arm carrying the gripping device, showing one of the posts or studs thereof.

' their ends in claws or hooks 11.

The body A of the device consists of a bar of metal bent upon itself to form two parallel members 10, which members terminate at The lowermost member near its claw or hook is pro vided with astirrup 12, which is projected outwardly therefrom, and said lower member is further provided between the stirrup and the bow end of the body with an outwardlyeXtending pivoted bar 13. A lever 14: is pivoted in the body A near its bowed end, the said lever being provided with a series of openings 15, which are'preferably in the form of keyhole-slots. An angle pull-bar 16 is attached to the lever 14:. The shorter member a of the said pull-bar is provided with a stud 17, having a horizontal lug 18 formed at its upper end, whereby said stud may be made to enter one of the keyhole-slots, and when the pull-bar is turned to bring the lug 18 over the top of the lever the pull-bar while pivotally connectedwith the lever cannot leave the same.

At the extremity of the long member a of I the .pull-bar 16 a length of chain or a link and the body, and this chain is connected with a second clasp, comprising also a body-bar 25, having a lug 26 formed thereon and provided with a toothed cam 27, having an attached handle 28.

. -In the operation of the device the hooks or claws 11 of the body-bar are made to engage with a side of a post B, facing the direction in which the wire 29 is to be drawn. The wire 29 is passed between the body-lug and the cam of the clasp attached to the pull-bar 16, the lever 14 having been carried in direction of the said wire, as shown in Fig. 1. The lever is then drawn in direction of the post, and the consequence will be that while the wire is placed under tension the action of the lever will be to carry the body A in direction of the wire, thus causing the claws to firmly engage with the post. When the wire has been placed under sulficient tension, the lever 14 maybe carried into the space between the members of the body and made to enter the keeper or stirrup 12, thereby holding the wire under tension, and if a long pull is to be made on the wire to properly stretch it the pull-bar 16 will be pivoted to the lever at its outermost opening 15, while if an exceedingly short pull only on the wire is desirable the pull-bar will be pivoted in the opening of the lever nearest the body A.

Thus it will be observed that the amount of tension that is to be placed upon the wire may be regulated at pleasure. The change in the position of the pull-rod relative to the lever may be quickly made, since it is simply necessary to bring the lug 18 on the post of the pull-rod over the contracted portion of the opening in the lever, whereupon the pull rod or bar will drop from the lever. In the event the first action of the lever does not place the wire under suflicient tension the slack of the wire may be taken up by bringing said wire in engagement with the second clasp attached to the body, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the first or advanced clasp may be released from the wire, another grip taken, and the wire further stretched.

\Vhen the device is to be used for drawing two ends of a wire together for the purpose of splicing said wire, the clasp which is attached directly to the body is turned over and is brought in engagement with one end of the wire, the body not necessarily being connected with the post at that time, and the second clasp is engaged with the other end of the wire and the lever 14 is manipulated, as heretofore set forth, thereby drawing the two ends of the wire together and admitting of the splicing being efifeetually accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a wire-stretcher having a body portion thereof shaped to embrace a post, a lever fulcrumed in the said body, an angular pull-bar adj ustably connected with said lever, and a clasp consisting of a body-bar, having a lug and a cam facing the said lug, which clasp is connected with said pull-bar, a projection from the said body, and a second clasp attached to said projection, both clasps being capable of being reversed in position, for the purpose specified.

2. In a wire-stretcher,tl1e co1nbination,with a body provided with claws, and a lever pivoted in the said body, havingaseries of keyhole-slots produced therein, of a pull-bar havin g a post formed thereon and a lug projected from the post, the post and lug being arranged to pass through an opening in said lever, a clasp carried by the pull-bar, and a second clasp having a flexible connection with the body of the said stretcher, for the purpose specified.

In a wire-stretcher, the combination,with a body having a portion thereof fitted to embrace a post, the said body being provided with a keeper, and a lever fulcrumed in the body, having a series of openings therein, of an angular pull-bar provided with a projection arranged for lockin g engagement with the lever at one of the openings therein, a clasp connected with the said pull-bar, which clasp comprises a body having a lug formed thereon and a cam provided with a handle pivoted on the body opposite the said lug, and a second clasp having a loose connection with the body of the stretcher, as and for th purpose specified.

WILLIAM 'l. MCNEILL.

Witnesses:

N. G. SMITT, W. E. GOLDEN. 

